Box-fastener



(No Model.)

F. TRAMBLAY.

, BOX FASTBNBR.

No; 564,347. Patented July 21, 1896.

Il?? f I) al v$7.5' j 373 Z @s iw i UNITED STATES gPATENT OFFICE.

FELIX TRAMBLAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,347, dated July 21, 1896.

Application led February 28, 1896. Serial No. 581,180. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX TRAMBLAY, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved lock or catch for le-cases, a lock embodying the present invention being applicable either to pasteboard, ber, .or other analogous boxes or cases wherein the sides are more or less yielding or resilient, or to wooden boxes having unyielding sides.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a lock of simplified and improved construction, satisfactory in use, and capable of being reliably secured in position upon the case with the utmost facility.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described,and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in Vcentral vertical section of a file-case provided with a lock or catch` embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section, enlarged, of the lid-catch and fragmentary portions of the meeting edges of a file-case to which the catch is applied. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the lower member of the catch with a part of the front of the box to which it is attached. Fig. 4 is an enlarged View of the upper member of the catch and with a fragment of the cover to which it is attached, looking at the inner or rear face of the front wall of said cover. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper member of the catch.

Referring to the said figures, the invention is herein shown as applied to a file-case of the usual construction, (designated as a whole by the letter A,) of which are shown the top strip or ledge A', the back Av2, bottom A3, front wall A4, and one of the end walls A5 of the box proper, and the top B, front wall or flange I3', and end ange B2 of the lid-cover.

The front wall A4 of the box is hinged at its lower margin, so as to drop or fold outwardly,

and the top B of the cover is hinged to the edge of the top strip or ledge A at b a short distance from the rear edge of the box. The front wall portion B of the cover is rigidly secured to the top B, and is adapted to meet the front A4 when the latter is in vertical position.

The lile-case is herein shown as provided with a single lock or catch secured upon the meeting edges of the two members centrally thereof.

Referring to the detail figures, E designates the socket or receiving member, and F the catch or engaging member of the lock. As herein shown, (although obviously the arrangement might be reversed,) the member E l is secured to the upper edge of the front wall A4 of the box, while the member F is secured to the depending front edge B of the cover. The member E is formed from sheet metal, and comprises an end portion @,turned at right angles to the main body, inserted through a slit al, extendingtransversely th rou gh the box, and clenched upon the inside face of the latter, as shown at e', Figs. l and 2. At the upper edge of the box-front A4 the member E is provided at each side with a narrow clenching-strip e2 e2, adapted to be clenched over the edgeof the box-front, and an intermediate portion e3, which is formed into an outwardly-opening U-shaped socket or deep transverse recess e4, adapted to receive the engaging lip of the member F. From the socket e4 the end of the strip e3 is extended upwardly and inwardly, so as to provide an inclined or beveled tongue adapted to guide the member F into engagement with said socket e4. The beveled portion or tongue is unsupported at its inner side, and will there fore have some slight resilience, but it need not necessarily be made of spring metal.

The member F is also formed from sheet metal, but is considerably wider than the member E, as shown in Figs. 4L and 5. Said member comprises a flat portion f, adapted to rest against the outer face of the cover BQ (for neatness of appearance, herein shown as of semicircular form,) provided at its upper margin with aprong f', turned at right angles inward and inserted in the body of the cover, a right-angled inturned portion f 2, adapted to rest against the lower edge of the cover, and

ICO

two clenching strips or arms f3 f3. The said arms fsf' are bent upwardly and clenched upon the inner face of the cover, in which position they serve, in conjunction with the stud f', to hold the member securely upon the edge of the cover. The space or opening between said arms f3 f is sufficient to permit the entrance of the tongue and socket portions of the member E between them, and the inner face of the cover is recessed or cut away between said arms at f4, so as to permit the engagement of the U shaped socket e2 with the inturned edge f5 of the member F, which extends between said arms fgf, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5.

In operation the members E and F of the catch will slide into engagement automatically when the lid is closed, the resilience or yielding of the front wall portions B and A4 insuring such action without any spring atction in the tongue ef. In disengagin g the parts the front A4 of the box is forced inward sufficiently to separate the members and thus release the catch. Boxes or cases of this character being ordinarily made of pasteboard, thin wood, or analogous material, this bending or springing of the front in order to permit the unfastenin g of the catch will produce no injury.

From the above description it will be apparent that a lock or catch embodying my inmembers being creased to form a transverse socket and having an inclined tongue, the other of said members having a main part adaptedto be secured to the face of one member of the case and being provided with a lip bent at right angles to the said main part and adapted to engage said socket, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a file-case body and lid, of a catch consisting of two members, one of which is provided with a transverse socket, with an obliquely-arranged tongue and with a prong adapted to be inserted through the wall of the case and clenched on the inside of the same, and the other member bein g provided with inturned arms embracing the edge of the wall of the case, with an inturned free ed gc extending bet Ween said arms and adapted for engagement with said recess, and aprong adapted to be inserted in the case wall, substantially as described.

3. A catch for file-cases, comprising a lower member E provided with a prong e', a recess c4, and an inclined tongue e3 andan upper member F having an exterior portion j' provided with an inturned prong f', an inturned portion f2 provided with arms f3 and with a free edge or flange f5 extending between said arms, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of Februa-ry, A. D. 1896.

FELD( TRAMISLAY.

XVitnesses:

J. B. ALEXANDER, F. E. lVAcGAivIAN. 

